Methods and apparatus for automated device state changes in response to network conditions

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for the automated altering of wireless device states in response to detected connection behaviors. In one embodiment, a mobile device receives network parameters, some of which are incorrectly configured, from a base station (or access point). To ensure the proper behavior of the mobile device, the device reviews the network provided parameters to determine if one or more of the parameters has been set incorrectly. If so, the device locally alters its own settings to mitigate the incorrect operation associated with the incorrect network provided parameters. In second exemplary embodiment, a number of tolerances are utilized to ensure the proper operation of the mobile device while maintaining an active link. Upon violation of one or more of these tolerances, the device breaks the active link to the wireless network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of managing operational states in a user equipment (UE) connected to a High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network, the method comprising:
 at the UE: 
 receiving from the HSPA network a plurality of network parameters, at least one network parameter of the plurality of network parameters indicating configuration for a maximum medium access control (MAC) transport block size allowed under power limited conditions; 
 evaluating at least a portion of the received plurality of network parameters to determine whether the at least one network parameter conflicts with a second parameter that indicates configuration for a Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol data unit (PDU) size, the second parameter comprising another one of the plurality of network parameters or a parameter stored by the UE; and 
 adjusting one or more operational settings of a transmitter of the UE based at least in part on the evaluation to override the maximum MAC transport block size indicated by the at least one network parameter, the adjusting enabling the transmitter to transmit at least one MAC transport block. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one network parameter comprises a Minimum-Set-Enhanced Transport Format Combination Indicator (eTFCI), and 
 the second parameter comprises an Uplink (UL) RLC PDU size limitation. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the evaluating comprises determining whether a maximum transport block size specified by the Minimum-Set eTFCI is less than a minimum PDU size specified by the UL RLC PDU size limitation. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the adjusting one or more operational settings comprises overriding the Minimum-Set-Enhanced Transport Format Combination Indicator (eTFCI). 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising terminating a connection state as part of the adjusting the one or more operational settings of the transmitter of the UE. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the evaluating comprises evaluating the at least a portion of the received plurality of network parameters against corresponding parameters previously saved in a data structure of the UE. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the evaluating further comprises evaluating the at least a portion of the received plurality of network parameters against corresponding tolerance values that indicate acceptable parameter values for one or more of the plurality of network parameters, wherein the tolerance values were previously saved in a data structure of the UE. 
     
     
       8. A user equipment device configured to manage operational states, the user equipment device comprising:
 a wireless interface configured to:
 receive one or more network parameters from a network via a signaling connection; and 
 based on the one or more network parameters, establish a data connection over which to transact data with the network; 
 
 a processor in communication with the wireless interface and a non-transitory computer readable medium; and 
 the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the user equipment device to:
 review at least a portion of the received one or more network parameters to identify one or more incorrect network parameters that conflict with each other or with a parameter stored by the user equipment device, the one or more incorrect network parameters indicating a configuration for a maximum medium access control (MAC) transport block size allowed under power limited conditions; and 
 
 adjust one or more operational settings of the established data connection to override the maximum MAC transport block size indicated by the one or more incorrect network parameters. 
 
     
     
       9. The user equipment device of  claim 8 , wherein the user equipment device adjusts the one or more operational settings of the established data connection to enable the wireless interface to transmit at least one MAC transport block to the network via the established data connection. 
     
     
       10. The user equipment device of  claim 8 , wherein the user equipment device reviews the at least a portion of the received one or more network parameters to identify one or more incorrect network parameters by at least comparing the at least a portion of the received one or more network parameters to corresponding network parameters previously saved in a data structure of the user equipment device. 
     
     
       11. The user equipment device of  claim 8 , wherein the user equipment device adjusts the one or more operational settings of the established connection by at least adjusting a time-out parameter related to an operational state of the user equipment device. 
     
     
       12. A user equipment device configured to correct one or more undesired operational conditions, the user equipment device comprising:
 logic configured to obtain a plurality of network parameters from a wireless network; 
 logic configured to implement at least one network parameter of the obtained plurality of network parameters; 
 logic configured to identify one or more undesired operational conditions associated with one or more of the implemented at least one network parameter; and 
 logic configured to adjust one or more operational settings of the user equipment device based at least on the identified one or more undesired operational conditions, 
 wherein the one or more undesired operational conditions comprise the user equipment device repeatedly retransmitting a signaling message to the wireless network thereby generating excessive interference, and 
 wherein the logic is configured to adjust the one or more operational settings of the user equipment device by at least limiting retransmissions of the signaling message to less than a maximum specified by the wireless network. 
 
     
     
       13. The user equipment device of  claim 12 , wherein adjustment of the one or more operational settings comprises comparing at least a portion of the obtained plurality of network parameters to a set of parameters stored at the user equipment device.